EXPANDING HUMAN PRESENCE BEYOND THE SOLAR SYSTEM THROUGH ACTIVE SETI: ON THE PREREQUISITES FOR LEGAL RELATIONS WITH EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE

摘要

Recently there has been increased interest in the international SETI community on active SETI, in which intentional signals would be sent from Earth prior to the detection of intelligence on other worlds. Some have argued that essentially the same legal and policy considerations apply whether one is replying to a signal from an already detected civilization, or whether one is transmitting without prior knowledge that an extraterrestrial civilization exists. In contrast, this paper argues that decisions about whether to transmit from Earth de novo, prior to detecting extraterrestrial intelligence, may require guidance from other disciplines to an extent not previously discussed for traditional, passive SETI. One of the lessons learned by members of the IAA's Study Group on Interstellar Message Construction is that significant insights can be gained by seeking input from disciplines not typically involved in SETI. In that spirit, this paper examines the value of addressing some of the legal issues surrounding relationships with extraterrestrial intelligence by drawing specifically on the work of theorists of narrative.